The present invention relates generally to a system for assisting in the recording, checking and packaging process for magnetic diskettes, which have become popularly known as "floppy disks." These diskettes are typically comprised of a flat plastic substrate coated with magnetic particles, most commonly available in the diameter size of 3-1/2 and 5-1/4 inches. The smaller size diskette is typically totally enclosed within a hard, plastic outer shell, with a movable shutter for accessing the magnetic media. In the case of the larger diskette, it is held within a protective paper outer cover, wherein the cover has a radially-extending slot opening, for purposes of magnetically recording and reading information from the surface of the diskette. For purposes of this invention the term "diskette" should be construed to include, in the case of larger diskettes, not only the magnetically-recorded flat plastic substrate, but also the protective cover into which the magnetic substrate is inserted.
The invention particularly relates to an apparatus which typically forms a part of the aforementioned system, to accomplish one of the required steps in the recording and packaging of diskettes. The apparatus receives a prerecorded diskette, inserts the diskette into an envelope or sleeve, and deposits the diskette and sleeve into an appropriate output bin. The invention relates particularly to a system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,675, issued Mar. 20, 1990, and owned by the assignee of the present invention. The invention is an improvement over the sleever module disclosed in the aforementioned patent, and addresses certain problems not contemplated in the patent.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is to provide a diskette sleever module which automatically and sequentially transfers diskettes into a sleever device holding a plurality of empty sleeves, wherein the topmost empty sleeve is opened by the device to receive the transported diskette.
A further advantage and feature of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism for ensuring that empty sleeves are fully opened to provide an entry for receiving diskettes.
The present invention may be incorporated into the system disclosed in the aforementioned patent, to provide an improved system for recording, checking and packaging magnetic diskettes.